Lib Dems call for takeaway restrictions in Cheadle and Gatley

by Iain Roberts on 25 May, 2016

Cllr Iain Roberts is calling for planning rules to be changed to prevent more takeaways opening in Cheadle and Gatley.

“We would like to see planning changes to put a limit on the number of takeaways that can be opened in one area. Cheadle and Gatley already have enough takeaways. At the moment it’s very difficult to stop more opening. We want the Council to adopt new planning rules that make it easier to block more takeaways.”

The Lib Dem team have no problem with a sensible number of takeaways – people use them and it’s better having a successful takeaway providing employment than an empty unit.

But if you have too many takeaways it makes it more difficult for the area to be a normal shopping centre. Takeaways often only open in the evenings so more and more units and closed during the day. There’s also a health issue for young people where there are takeaways near to schools.

“This is about saying that we have enough takeaways, and councillors should have the power to stop more opening if the community doesn’t want them.” Iain said.

Hi Bruce – we’ve been calling for this for several years. When in charge we made clear that it needed to be part of the next plan. The problem is that changes to the rules aren’t piecemeal but take several years to bring in, so we’re re-stating our position and will continue to campaign for the next version of Stockport’s planning policy to include this.

We’ve mentioned this issue several times over the last few years and will continue to do so – it’s important for the villages. It isn’t about blaming anyone, it’s about making sure that when we get a new plan it includes the powers to restrict takeaways.

Enough is enough! The litter is one thing, but bad parking and in particular travelling up Brooklyn Road the wrong way (using residents parking bays),parking on pavements, and a general disregard for local residents and business users is becoming epidemic. Also, the pavement on the south side of Brooklyn Road is now in a particularly poor state to the point of being dangerous. I’m referring to the “new” stretch of pavement. Funny, posts were put in along the shops at Wilmslow Road round the corner to prevent pavement parking, but not here. Someone will trip.

Not before time! This is a national problem and not just a local one In relation to Cheadle , Gatley has suffered particularly badly. How can you nurture a community spirit when poor planning and lack of vision has torn out its heart . litter is blighting our environment..both locally and nationally. Why not make shops legally responsible for keeping the area outside their premises litter free and sweep them every day. Also how about getting schools to make a practical contribution to protecting our environment organising clean ups They could start by cleaning Scholes FIelds pathway now and then seeing as they are mostly responsible for the litter!(and graffiti under the bridge).

I agree with the above the takeaways have made it very difficult for the residents of Brooklyn Road, Chickadees for instance has a Fire exit that opens out onto a narrow pavement (they use it as a staff entrance for smoking breaks etc) I thought it was illegal to use a Fire exit for general access to premises and it should not open onto the pavement. Chickadees also park their staff cars on the pavement this is a very Anti Social Establisment . We centainly don’t need or want any more takeaways.

It’s a fact of life that takeaways measure the demographic of the area- how may are there in Prestbury or Alderley?
If Cheadle and Gatley have aspirations to be better communities it starts with saying no more takeaways, irrespective of planning. The guys who own them don’t live here, they live well away in Bramhall and Wilmslow.
Raise objections, challenge everything and make sure they’re not supported should they ever open.

Much as I generally agree with you Alan, the problem is that the takeaways ARE supported. That’s why they stay in business and, indeed, encourage others to open even more. Business is business, unfortunately. As such, I’m all for the council restricting planning permissions. It’s not a thing that should be left to market forces (but then I am an unreconstructed 1960s lefty)

That’s correct Jean and we are just told the council can’t do anything. If the Lib Dems have been supporting this for years then why haven’t they begun to change things from then. Why wait until now to voice this. Seems to me to me to be once again to little to late from them. The council just needs to get on and make the change to planning and do what we pay them to do.

Hi Art – we didn’t wait for now to say it. We’ve said this several times in recent years and will continue to do so. Unfortunately, the rules from the Government mean that it has proved less simple that the council just getting on and making the changes, hence the need to keep up the pressure.

This discussion has made me think about changes in my eating habits over the past 20 years. Our family has always had a good proportion of home-cooked meals. However we also enjoy opportunities for trying cuisine from other cultures.

Cheadle has a reasonable number of good restaurants though for reasons of variety and economy, we like to supplement these by visiting catering establishments outside our village. One constraint is that we enjoy a glass or two with our meals. As responsible drinkers, we therefore need to rely on public transport if visiting central Manchester, Rusholme, Chorlton, Altrincham or Didsbury. Unfortunately, the appalling state of public transport has shrunk hourly services from Manchester to Cheadle from about 3 per hour at the start of this period to barely one every 70 minutes. Putting local transport services on a mayor’s desk as in London ought to reverse this situation though whether Greater Manchester has the will to do this is doubtful.

Until that happy day dawns, I shall continue to patronise Cheadle’s take-away food outlets. as they offer the best alternative to difficult journeys to Central Manchester and its gastronomically-gifted suburbs. I hope that others who value gastronomic diversity will join me in opposing the knee-jerk reaction to improving take-away facilities which is often presented to local councillors as a unanimous verdict when the truth is that one of their spoil-sport electors has occasionally found an empty take away container in their front garden.

Iain – i agree, i think there is a need for this e.g. Jean Skitt’s comment.
When a shop closes what is the process that potential new businesses have to go through. Is it mainly up to the owner of the premises to choose? Is it all about money – highest bidder, etc? – if yes, then there’s no chance of a greengrocers succeeding in Gatley.

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